Hirono takes narrow lead over Hanabusa

Former Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono edged state Sen. Colleen Hanabusa by less than a percentage point to win the Democratic nomination in the 2nd Congressional District.

With all but the electronic votes from one Waipahu precinct counted, Hirono with 24,385 votes held a 799-vote cushion over Hanabusa in the crowded race to succeed Ed Case in the U.S. House.

"It was a squeaker but I'd say we've won," Hirono said after seeing the third printout. "We have a lot of work ahead in the next six weeks."

Hirono heads to the Nov. 7 general election where she will face state Sen. Bob Hogue, who defeated former state Rep. Quentin Kawananakoa by an even slimmer margin to take the GOP primary, to represent rural Oahu and the neighbor islands in Congress.

Among the other eight Democrats in the race, former state Sen. Matt Matsunaga was third, followed by state Sens. Clayton Hee and Gary Hooser. State Rep. Brian Schatz was next followed by state Sen. Ron Menor, Honolulu City Councilman Nestor Garcia and political newcomers Hanalei Aipoalani and Joe Zuiker.

Hanabusa soundly won Oahu but couldn't overcome Hirono's support on the Big Island and Maui. Hooser won his home island of Kauai.

"When a race is that close, all you can say is we ran a campaign that we're very proud of," Hanabusa said. "We were running against people who had greater name recognition going in."

The result of the early returns were what many analysts had predicted.

Hirono and Matsunaga started the campaign with perhaps the greatest name recognition, but analysts said others -- such as Hanabusa and Schatz -- waged more-spirited campaigns and appeared to capture the fancy of voters in recent days.

Hanabusa was boosted in recent weeks by several major newspaper endorsements and a flurry of late campaign ads.

Yesterday's vote brings to an end one of the more wide open and hardest-to-call races in decades.

The race in the 2nd Congressional District essentially began in January, almost immediately after Case announced his intention to challenge Dan Akaka in the Senate.

By July's candidate filing deadline, the Democratic field included one-fifth of the state Senate's membership, one state House member, the losing Democratic ticket from the 2002 gubernatorial election and two political rookies.

But with so many in the race it was hard for candidates to separate themselves as they may have in a typical campaign.

Candidates relied on joint appearances, a handful of statewide television opportunities, and even the advent of 'gpolitical speed dating'h events to get their messages out.

The campaign stuck mostly to the issues with virtually no personal attacks. Only Schatz, at an appearance in August, challenged Hirono by criticizing her lack of visibility since losing the governor's race in 2002.

Also in the race for the 2nd Congressional District race was nonpartisan candidate Robert K. Wilcox IV of Maui.

Former Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono edged state Sen. Colleen Hanabusa by less than a percentage point to win the Democratic nomination in the 2nd Congressional District.

With all but the electronic votes from one Waipahu precinct counted, Hirono with 24,385 votes held a 799-vote cushion over Hanabusa in the crowded race to succeed Ed Case in the U.S. House.

"It was a squeaker but I'd say we've won," Hirono said after seeing the third printout. "We have a lot of work ahead in the next six weeks."

Hirono heads to the Nov. 7 general election where she will face state Sen. Bob Hogue, who defeated former state Rep. Quentin Kawananakoa by an even slimmer margin to take the GOP primary, to represent rural Oahu and the neighbor islands in Congress.

Among the other eight Democrats in the race, former state Sen. Matt Matsunaga was third, followed by state Sens. Clayton Hee and Gary Hooser. State Rep. Brian Schatz was next followed by state Sen. Ron Menor, Honolulu City Councilman Nestor Garcia and political newcomers Hanalei Aipoalani and Joe Zuiker.

Hanabusa soundly won Oahu but couldn't overcome Hirono's support on the Big Island and Maui. Hooser won his home island of Kauai.

"When a race is that close, all you can say is we ran a campaign that we're very proud of," Hanabusa said. "We were running against people who had greater name recognition going in."

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Colleen Hanabusa, who was trailing Hirono, waited with supporters before the second printout.

The result of the early returns were what many analysts had predicted.

Hirono and Matsunaga started the campaign with perhaps the greatest name recognition, but analysts said others -- such as Hanabusa and Schatz -- waged more-spirited campaigns and appeared to capture the fancy of voters in recent days.

Hanabusa was boosted in recent weeks by several major newspaper endorsements and a flurry of late campaign ads.

Yesterday's vote brings to an end one of the more wide open and hardest-to-call races in decades.

The race in the 2nd Congressional District essentially began in January, almost immediately after Case announced his intention to challenge Dan Akaka in the Senate.

By July's candidate filing deadline, the Democratic field included one-fifth of the state Senate's membership, one state House member, the losing Democratic ticket from the 2002 gubernatorial election and two political rookies.

But with so many in the race it was hard for candidates to separate themselves as they may have in a typical campaign.

Candidates relied on joint appearances, a handful of statewide television opportunities, and even the advent of 'gpolitical speed dating'h events to get their messages out.

The campaign stuck mostly to the issues with virtually no personal attacks. Only Schatz, at an appearance in August, challenged Hirono by criticizing her lack of visibility since losing the governor's race in 2002.

Also in the race for the 2nd Congressional District race was nonpartisan candidate Robert K. Wilcox IV of Maui.